Interconvertible mower and sweeper device



flee. 26, 1922-. 1,439,832

' 0. E. MERRILL.

INTERCONVERTIBLE MOWER AND SWEEPER Devrca.

FILED SEPT- 29. I921.

Patented Dec. Ed, 1922.

onson'n. MERRILL, or n'nnorrfw scons n.

INTERCONVERTIBLE' IMOWER- AND SHEEPER DEVICE.

Application filed September 29, 1921. SeriaLNo. 504,199.

revoluble cutting member and adapted to the cutting of grass onlawns,qetc., may readily be converted into a sweeper for cleaning thelawn of the cut grass, leaves, etc, which means may readily be removed 7and the machine re-converted into-a mower.

it is also an object to accomplish these advantageous results by simple,cheap and conveniently-operated means. 7

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a front view of a mowing device of conventional form,ordinarily called a lawn mower, having these improvements appliedthereto, and thus being converted into a sweeper; Fig. 2 is a sectionalview through Fig. 1 as on the line 2-2 thereof; Fig. 3 i an enlargedsectional view through one of the cuttingblades, clamp and attachedbrush; and Figs. 41 and 5 are fragmentary perspectives of strip brushesof difi 'erent,

constructions.

' The mower illustrated has apair of side traction wheels 10 having theinternal driving gear 11 meshing with the pinion 12 on the shaft 13which carries positively the spiders 14 upon which are secured cuttingblades 15, the device being driven by the pushing handle 16. It has aroller 17 carried by a frame extension 18 on each side of the machineand a receptacle 19 adapted to catch the grass cut by'the machine. Themower illustrated is according to common practice and is too well knownto require more than a general description.

In Fig. 2 the dotted lines at 20 indicate a part of the mower with whichthe blades 15 coaet in cutting the grass. It is carried by the framepart 18 and is adjustablyand readily removably'secured by bolts.

This bed plate member 20 is shown as having been removed from Fig; 1 andis shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 to illustrate in a'conventional wayits relative location and arrangement, and as a part readily removablefrom the machine proper. in 00111 61111119 the lawn mowcr into" asweeper this bed plate 20 will be removed" in order to give free device.I I

To constitute the device a sweeper Iffuraction to the brush ther providea sweeping device formed as an attachment for the revoluble cuttermembercomprising the shaft 13, spiders 1d and blades 15. This revolublecutting member may, of course, have various forms a and other details ofconstruction according to the design or plan adopted by differentmanufacturers of the mowing machine, and

the present invention is not limited to a revoluble cutting member ofthe specific form shown.

In the accompanying drawings the brush device is shown as a plurality ofbrushes in strip form, each having a length substantially that of thecutting blades 15, the strip brushes being secured readily removably tothe blades respectively.

The fragmentary view of Fig. 1 shows a plurality of tufts 25 held withinthe folds of apiece of flexible material such as fabric orleather 26, asby rows of stitching 2'7.

In Fig. 5 the tufts or bristles 28 may be considered as being embeddedwithin a strip of composition 29, for instance a rubber C0111. pound, asby a vulcanizing or other hardening process. The strip brushesthemselves may be formed according to any approved ractice. 1

In Fig. 3 the relationshipof a strip brush to a cutting blade as 15 isshown, and from thisfigure it will be noted that the strip brush issecured as by rivets 30 to a yokelilre clamp 31 having a thumb screw 32adapted to bind the brush firmly upon the blade 15. A plurality of suchclamps 31 are secured to the brushes at intervals, as shown by Fig. 1,and when it is desired to apply a brush to blade it is simply necessaryto slip the brush into place upon the blade and clamp it there by meansof the thumb screw 32, the operation being simply and expeditiouslyperformed and the subsequent removal of the brushes being equally simpleand easy. With the clamps 31 permanently secured to the brushes theapplication of the brushes to the blades is facilitated and the furtheradvantage is had of preserving the small clamps against loss.

An important advantage of the present construction is that a highlyeffective sweeper may be formed from the ordinary lawn mower or similardevice, at a very small expense and with a very small expenditure oflabor. Such a device is highly important not only for collecting the cutgrass, but from time to time for removing leaves and other objectionablematter from the lawn, as in the fall of the year when the presence oitree leaves is both unsightly and objectionable to the satisfactoryoperation of mowing the lawn. The laborious Work of sweeping the lawnwith the ordinary broom is thus avoidc and with comparatively littleeffort the lawn may be kept clean, and by means of the mower machinealready at hand, with the modifications thereof herein pointed out.

1 contemplate being within the scope of these improvements variousdepartures from what is specifically shown, as indicated in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

In combination, a mower having 2).- revoluble cutting member, a brushdevice attachable to the revoluble member, and means for securing thebrush device upon the revoluble member to form a sweeper oi thecharacter described.

2. The combination of a mower of the character described having arevoluble member including cutting blades, and brush elements adaptedfor attachment to theblades respectively and carried thereby, for thepurpose set forth.

The combination of a mower of the character described having" arevolnble mem ber including cutting blades, a plurality of brushelements in strip iform substantially the length of the bladesrespectively, and clamping means carried by the brush elements forreadily attaching them to the blades respectively.

onsoN E. MERRILL.

